December 1708

[My Lord orders preparation of a] privy seal for any sums not exceeding 600000l. to Mr. Howe, Paymaster of Guards & Garrisons: for the service of the year 1709. Ibid.

Dec. 6, forenoon.

Present: Lord Treasurer.

[Send to] Mr. Walpole to be here tomorrow at 10 of the clock.

My Lord Treasurer desires Sir Henry Furnese to acquaint Don Luis da Cunha, the Portugal Envoy, that if he is willing to take 1500l. in lieu of his pretensions or demands on account of her Majesty's promise to replace the horses which were lost as they were transporting to Lisbon for the use of the King of Portugal, his Lordship will speedily direct the payment thereof. Ibid., p. 277.

Prepare a letter to the Lord High Admiral that it having been represented by all the Queen's Ministers in Italy & Portugal that the Captains of the men of war have made difficulties from time to time of transporting her Majesty's money from place to place in those parts for payment of the Troops [my Lord Treasurer is hereby] desiring the Lord Admiral to give order to all the Commanders of her Majesty's men of war in those parts that for the future they make no difficulties in taking the Queen's money to be carried from place to place as the General or Commander in Chief of her Majesty's Forces there shall desire for payment of those Forces.

My Lord Treasurer agrees to Sir Henry Furnese's proposal as follows & Sir Henry writes this night for [his correspondent at] Lisbon to send up as much money by Sir George Byng as he can possibly get from thence for the service in Catalonia; & [likewise letters] to Genoa to return 50000l. from thence [from Genoa to Catalonia by bills of exchange on Barcelona].

the proposal of Sir Henry Furnese

that for the better & more speedy supply of her Majesty's Forces & other services in Catalonia he will furnish money at Lisbon & Italy as follows viz

50000l. by bills at 10 days on Lisbon at 51 ½ pence per Crown: the money to be [re-]paid here [in London] in a month: or [alternatively] the like sum to be paid [to] Mr. Morrice [the Deputy Paymaster there] upon his [the said Morrice's] bills on Mr. Brydges at 2 months at 53 pence per Crown.

50000l. by bills at 10 days on Italy: to be paid in current coin at 5 livres per Crown or in pistoles at 19 1/8 livres: the value to be received [or repaid] here in a month at 59 pence per Crown: or [alternatively] the like sum to be paid to Mr. Chetwynd upon his bills on Mr. Brydges at 3 months at 60 pence per Crown.

And if your Lordship thinks it fit, any of the [present] proposals both for Lisbon & Italy to continue for a whole year at the same price and time of payment.

A letter from Mr. Ward [for the East India Company] dated the 13th inst is read wherein he represents that there is 70000l. lent by the Bank to Sir Thomas Littleton, Treasurer of the Navy, upon tallies & [Treasury] Minutes and 33500l. to Col. Mordaunt: to be repaid [to the Bank] out of the East India Company's payment due to be made on Jan 12 next: which [sum] if my Lord pleases the said Company will pay forthwith [on condition of] being allowed 5 per cent discount to the 12th January next as is allowed to the Bank: and [he informs my Lord] that the Bank are willing to receive their money.

My Lord Treasurer agrees to this proposition.

[Write to desire] the Governor & some of the Directors of the Bank to be here tomorrow morning.

Mr. Bridges' memorial is read for 3 months' subsidy to Prussia, the Elector Palatine, Elector of Treves & Landgrave of Hesse Cassel & to complete the King of Portugal's subsidy for this year: [the said items] amounting in all to 39241l. 7. 1.

My Lord orders the issue of this sum out of the 6th payment to be made by the East India Company [on March 10 next].

[My Lord directs the issue out of Civil List moneys of] 10000l. to the Keeper of the Great Wardrobe: to be issued by 500l. a week. Ibid., p. 279.

Dec. 19, forenoon.

Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The Commissioners of the Ordnance are called in & their demand of 92415l. 3. 7 ½ [for land & sea service of the Office of Ordnance] is read and will be answered as soon as my Lord is enabled.

[The draft of a] letter for Edw. Bentley Esq is read & approved.

My Lord Treasurer is pleased to agree that Mr. Brydges may deliver the [army] clothiers' tallies & orders on their signing & sealing the following obligation viz

whereas the Most Honourable the Lord High Treasurer hath thought fit (for preventing a discompt upon tallies) to order that none be issued at present to the clothiers of the army but upon an engagement that they will not dispose of them: we, therefore, the several persons following, clothiers to her Majesty's Forces & assigns of absent clothiers, do hereby promise & engage that we will not sell or cause or suffer
to be sold or discompted or absolutely assign or dispose of any of the tallies or orders which shall be assigned to us or either [any] of us by James Brydges Esq, Paymaster General of her Majesty's Forces Abroad, without the consent or approbation of the Lord High Treasurer first had & obtained: in witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands & seals for the respective sums received by us. Ibid., p. 280.

Dec 22, forenoon.

Present: Lord Treasurer.

Write to the Excise Commissioners to be here on Monday morning.

[My Lord directs the following issues] but that same be reserved for further direction on [after] the beginning of the Land Tax anno 1709: to wit

£

to Mr. Bridges [for the Forces Abroad &c]

150,000

to the Navy

150,000

to Mr. Howe [for the Guards & Garrisons]

50000

to the Ordnance

50000

[My Lord directs] 269565l. 6. 4 ½ to Mr. Bridges on his memorial of this day [for the Forces Abroad]: to be issued out of loans on the Land Tax anno 1709.

The state of the Deficiencies is to be considered tomorrow morning.

[My Lord directs] 6000l. to Mr. Tailer for the building at Woodstock.

Likewise 455l. 18. 9 to Visct FitzHardinge [as Treasurer of the Chamber]: for half a year's stationery wares to Lady day last for the Secretary of State's Offices.